Barbi and Troy

We have two old dogs - Barbi and Troy. Barbi is a mixed breed (Terrier?) and what people would usually refer to as askal (asong kalye). Her name is derived not from the doll but as a shortcut to barbecue. She was quite thin when we got her from my in-laws many years ago (around 2005). We sometimes refer to getting her as "rescuing" her as she seemed to be stressed out by living with the three Doberman dogs of my father-in-law. She initially was hostile to Troy, who wanted nothing but welcome her to our home. At times, she would bare her teeth as we tried to house-train her (it took some months for her to learn to pee and poop outside). She eventually warmed up to us and to the other dog once she probably figured that Troy wasn't like the more aggressive Dober-dogs she had to live with for some time and the two have been inseparable since and have their own ways of endearment.

Barbi and Troy looking out the door to the garage of our former home at a village along Marcos Highway in Antipolo

Troy is a purebred Labrador Retriever. He has papers showing his birthdate to be January 4, 2004. We got him when he was about 2.5 months, prior to moving into our then home in lower Antipolo. If we refer to Barbi as our "adopted," we refer to Troy as our "firstborn." He chose us when we first saw him with the rest of the litter. We sometimes wonder whatever happened to his siblings as there were still many of them (5 or 6) when we got Troy. He's over 10.5 years now and has had some health issues lately. Though it pains us to think that he will soon pass, we're trying our best to take care of him and make sure he's comfortable. He always behaved like he's a puppy, our puppy, and you know he's not feeling well when he's slowed down. Still, he gets excited whenever its feeding time and whenever our new puppy Mocha, a Golden Retriever, is around. We know we would eventually have to let go so we're making the best out of when Troy is still with us.

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